Here in South East Queensland many of us are concerned about the plight of the Koala. Development which leads to habitat loss has had a huge impact on local populations. There are similar issues around the nation and so there is a call for people to join in the Koala Count starting this Saturday.

The National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) will be running its third annual Koala Count again from 7-22 November. By participating in the national survey you help to build a more comprehensive picture of koala numbers and locations across Australia. A new, GPS-enabled smartphone app, NatureMapr, has been developed especially for this year’s count. The free app makes it easy for you to record any koala sightings directly to your phone, or you can enter them at the Koala Count website, www.koalacount.org.au. Your sightings will all be fed into the publically accessible Atlas of Living Australia so any data you collect will complement existing koala records. Information collected during the count provides a valuable resource for planning future koala conservation projects and developing effective koala management strategies. To get involved in the Koala Count, simply register as a citizen scientist at www.koalacount.org.au, download the NatureMapr app, and you are ready to start counting!

So if you out and about the Moreton Region this weekend or over the next two weeks why not keep an eye out for koalas? You can report them to our scientists through the koalacount website and provide valuable information on the population and locations of our local koalas. . You can download the app and really give our koalas a hand!

We so need an accurate count of these animals around the Moreton Region. When you think that an early assessment of the Moreton Bay Rail Link corridor estimated there were up to 80 koalas on site and then the actual figure was 450 - knowing how many there are and where they are is vital in their protection.